Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament

Volume 2, Afterword

Umm, to those who started buying with the very first Index novel, to those who started buying with New Testament, to those who bought all of the volumes at once, to those who bought both the New Testament volumes at once, and to everyone who bought this new novel in any of the various paths there: hello.

This is Kamachi Kazuma.

This is the second volume of New Testament. This time, the contents include a bit of a rethinking of magic which is one of the roots on which the setting is based. Also, the view of who ‘they’ are has been made a little more clear and the meaning of Kamijou Touma’s second death has been referenced just a bit...In both cases, I feel it is kind of like dragging something from behind the scenes out to the forefront.

One of the themes is in the word “radiosonde”, but that just refers to a disposable weather balloon. Given that, is it a little easier to understand what ‘they’ did this time?

A lot of people may be realizing that the power balance is crumbling both on an individual level and on an organization level. At first glance, Aleister’s interference seems to be hindering the protagonists, but there are also problems that occur when it is no longer there. In a way, the construct of the children fighting while being protected by the power of the adults has been destroyed and now they must stand up for themselves in a world where they will receive no assistance. ...When I put it that way, it kind of makes it sound like the second death was him freeing himself from the stairway that is the process of a boy’s growth. Of course, that is the incorrect route, but it may be fun to enjoy that as a parallel explanation.

I had the Five Over last time and, by pure coincidence, something related to Mjölnir this time. I can almost see Biri Biri-san looking worried. But just like the science side’s Pyrokinesis and the magic side’s flame swords are two separate things, I felt that it would not be surprising if the magic side had its own person with a representative electrical attack method. In fact, I felt it would be strange if it didn’t, so I made one. Having a large scale but being difficult to use corresponds more to Mugino than to Mikoto, though.

I give my thanks to my illustrator, Haimura-san, and to my editor, Miki-san. It’s probably because I wanted to have a bustling atmosphere in this one, but so many characters made an appearance. It must have been difficult to decide which scenes to cut out. I am truly thankful.

And I give my thanks to all the readers. I was trying to make this one overall more lighthearted by putting in so much comedy, but I think the basic setting behind the scenes actually made it a rather bitter story. This was yet another story that would have been difficult to construct in a debut volume. I am thankful that I have been allowed to just do what I want.

It is time to close the pages for now while praying that the pages of the next book will be opened.

And I lay my pen down for now.

Mikoto is finally joining the fight!! ...Although it’s because I haven’t put her in the fight up until now.

-Kamachi Kazuma